catalina's Journal: Comcast to TimeWarner migration issues

In early March, I received email from TimeWarner informing me that it was time to migrate my web pages from Comcast to TimeWarner. I was assured that tools were available to automatically perform this migration, with a pointer to the migration tool. I read the associated FAQ file from help.rr.com, which explained that the web pages would be moved in their entirety, including the usename and password, from the Comcast server to the Roadrunner server. Since the migration procedure seemed to be quite straightforward, I used the tool on one of my Comcast sub-accounts as a test.

My Comcast account consists of a master account and up to 7 subordinate accounts, each of which has an email address and an associated webpage.

I started the migration tool, which asked for the Comcast account name and password, and the TimeWarner account email address for confirmation, as explained in the FAQ. (I noted that the migration tool FAQ specifically referred to the Comcast account: i.e. "Enter Comcast account name".)

The tool appeared to have worked properly for the subaccount, so I proceeded to use the tool again, to transfer the master account. This migration failed, so I placed a call to TimeWarner technical assistance to resolve the issue and get things going, as I wanted to complete the migration before the March 31 deadline. This was the first call of many, in an attempt to resolve the migration issue.

This first call led to some confusion, in that information for the techniician seemed to be at odds with the information from the FAQ, specifically the location to where the files were to be migrated. According to the FAQ, and subsequent email from the migration tool, files were placed on home.roadrunner.com, whereas the technician indicated that the files should have been moved to home.ca.rr.com. The technician then proceeded to create for me a "personal web page" account on home.ca.rr.com, and indicated that all of the subaccounts would be under this same directory, and were limited to a total of 25MB. (Note that each of the Comcast accounts had a limit of 25MB, and each were separate.)

I checked the FAQ again, and verified that the migration tool should move files to home.roadrunner.com. I ran the migration tool on my remaining subaccounts, and each seem to have completed, with all files having been copied to home.roadrunner.com, except for the master account.

Since the technician couldn't explain the discrepancy, I asked that the problem be escalated, and that I be directed to someone who could either help with the migration, or reset the migration so that the tool could complete the master account. (At this stage, had I been allowed to talk with a knowledgeable systems person, we could have likely resolved the issue in a matter of minutes.)

I was assured that someone would call me with the resolution - either that my files had been reset so that I could use the tool, or that the files would be migrated for me. After waiting one week, with no callback from the TimeWarner help desk, I again called the tech support number, and referred to the ticket number I had been given. I again asked that the problem be escalated, as nothing seemed to be being done, and I had not received a callback. I asked to speak with a supervisor, which request was denied. The help desk supposedly escalated the problem, and assured me that I would be getting a call within a couple of days.

After another week with no call, I called again, asking for a resolution of the problem. At that point I was told that the master account files would be created and files transferred, and that the transfer would take up to 24 hours. I asked for either phone or email confirmation when the transfer was completed.

24 hours elapsed, and I still had neither email or a phone call. Although the account apparently had been created on home.roadrunner.com, no files had been transferred. So I called back again, asking to speak to a supervisor, finally reaching someone who gave her name as Amy.

Amy informed me that the migration tool was known to be broken, that nothing would be done to fix it, that TimeWarner would not transfer my files, and I must transfer them myself. I have done so - however, I do have concerns....

In addition to my concern about the capabilities of TW staff, I wonder if my files will be available after the cutoff date of March 31. Somehow, I expect that I will lose access not only to the Comcast account, but that the migrated files will also disappear, in that the TimeWarner account maintenance tools don't seem to recognize or give me access to the files on home.roadrunner.com, and the server itself seems to be associated with Adelphia rather than either Comcast or TimeWarner.

This entire effort, which should have been addressed at that first phone call, has taken nearly a month, with quite a lot of my time having been wasted trying to get to someone capable of doing what should have been pretty simple system maintenance. I fully expect that my files will disappear, or that I will lose access to them. At this point, I'm even unsure of what tools I can use to maintain the accounts, say to change the account passwords - at least one of which was reset by Time Warner technicians.

Interestingly, after speaking with Amy, I received yet another email from TimeWarner pointing me to the migration tool, and advising me to use it to migrate my files. Apparently they are still advising customers to use the admittedly broken tool.

(Further investigation leads me to believe that the TimeWarner server at ca.rr.com cannot process standard html, in that pages that could be addressed from the comcast.net server do not appear properly if the pages are copied to ca.rr.com - potentially another problem for the unwary.)